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On the All-Time Harrys

Since I had a difficult time sleeping one night, I went to my bookshelf and selected a book that I had yet to read – Holy Cow by Harry Caray. It was an easy and enjoyable read, but that’s understandable because I’m a longtime baseball fan, one who listened to Harry broadcast Cardinal games in the 60s, and then delightfully watched him do Cubs’ games on WGN.

The most surprising thing in the book? That’s easy – University of Alabama offered young Harry a tuition-only baseball scholarship, which he turned down because he couldn’t afford the remaining costs.

Many Harrys have played on the diamond. Interestingly, some have gone by Bud, Cookie, Doc, Duke, Fritz, Izzy, Junior, Moose, Nemo, Peanuts, Pep, Rip, Shadow, Slim, and Socks – but did any of them make the team? What about Harry the Hat and Harry the Cat?

A strong outfield and veteran starting pitching will put this team in the middle of the pack (at best) – but far better than the All-Time Randys who simply aren’t very good.

To see the All-Time Randys and other all time teams, see Categories in the right-side sidebar, and then Sports > All-Time Teams or click here.

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36 thoughts on “On the All-Time Harrys”

So, doing Harry Carey is your way of apologising for going back to the baseball trough? Apology accepted. ;)
While not a huge baseball fan, Harry MADE the experience of seeing the Cubbies. He was made for Wrigley, and vice versa. I don’t care if you LOATHE the game, you haven’t lived unless you’ve sat just behind the Cubs dugout on a warm summer day, with a hot dog and a beer, and waited until Harry would take the mike for the famous 7th inning stretch. You just couldn’t care less if the Cubs were winning or not – just to hear Harry. :D (Heck, real Cubs fans don’t expect the Cubs to be winning. That makes a win all the more enjoyable!)

John,
Ah ha …. the baseball post to tugged at your roots. I knew it would work. :) I did have the opportunity to (as I say) “go to Wrigley to sing with Harry.” Definitely, one of my all-time baseball thrills. Heck, may have to turn the event into a post just for you. As always, many thanks.

I find it rather interesting that he would consider Joe DiMaggio the most complete player, and yet, want to build a team from scratch, starting with Stan Musial. Not that I think it is stupid. For being a diehard Cards fan, Stan the Man is who I would go with, but I would think that he would want to start with DiMaggio, if he thought he was the best of the best. I still can’t believe that the Cardinals dropped Caray as their main radio announcer back in the 60’s.

Anyway, if you haven’t heard it before, you might get a kick out of Harry Caray calling the very first baseball game ever played. However, there are parts that really make me cringe.

Don’t hate me, but I am a lifetime Cub’s fan. I loved Harry. I loved how he could entertain even when the Cubs sucked. He would pronounce words backwards, and with his famous slurred speech (whether due to alcohol or not) it was always worth a laugh.

Even harder on the Cub’s fan was the loss of Ron Santo. I have no desire to listen to Cub’s radio this year without Ronnie. It’s a shame he never made it into the Hall of Fame. I cried the day he died…

Hey Journey,
Even though I’m a Reds fan, I don’t hate the Cubs. I started watching them in the late afternoons in the 70s when cable brought WGN to us (legendary Jack Brickhouse at the mic). Then came Harry!

Losing Santo was tough on Cub fans as his time with the org goes way back. In recent years we in Cincinnati lost a similar legend, so I realize your pain. But memories are wonderful! Thanks for visiting and glad I was able to reach your inner Cubness.

Journey – Are you from the Windy City, or just a person with good taste? ;) You weren’t the only one who cried that day. While I don’t follow baseball, or any sports, all that closely, the Cubs have a very firm place in my heart. Maybe it was all those last innings I caught as a kid, waiting for Star Trek to come on WGN. :D

OMG …. a Chicagoan who enjoys Star Trek means a friend for life – although Journey like BASEBALL! Hey John … Journey is genuinely the nice who probably doesn’t take to goats … but hey – maybe she’s been to the Billy Goat Tavern …. Cheezbooger, Cheezbooger, Cheezbooger.

Cool! Mind if I ask from where in Chicago? I started out at the infamous Bryn Mawr curve on the Kennedy, spent some years out by Golf-Mil shopping center in Niles, then ended up in the sticks in the Addison/Wood Dale/Bensenville area west of O’hare. My dad worked downtown all but 5 years of his life, I worked down there for 4 years before heading out to the burbs. Hung around Wrigleyville with friends from college, though I already had the Cubs bug by then. Now I’m in the wilds of SE Ohio. (Sigh.) I miss my Windy City. :(

A Southsider who’s a Cubs fan? Isn’t that a crime punishable by death, or worse? ;) I thought they surgically implanted love for the Sox and hatred for the Cubs whenever you got south of the Eisenhower!
And now you’re out in the weeds. Though I imagine that if urban sprawl hasn’t caught up with you so far, it won’t be too long. I remember, when taking the Milwaukee Road West Line, that Big Timber (west of Elgin) was out in the middle of NOWHERE, and last I heard, they were trying to extend the line even further due to demand!
Oh, and don’t look now, but I think Frank is just a TEENY bit jealous! :D

I just loved listening to Ron Santo doing games, I am still upset that he was not voted into the HOF (What fun would that speech have been) and also he was not able to see and call the final out in the 7th game at Wrigley Field for the Cubs winning the World Series. Even if was against My Yankees I would have been happy.

Spinny,
Harry Caray is a broadcasting legend. Interestingly, his son (Skip) & grandson (Chip) followed his career path … but not with the same flair as the patriarch. During his time broadcasting Cubs games, Harry would sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame over the PA during the 7th inning stretch …. and the fans loved it! Harry truly loved the game and the fans. Thanks for visiting.

Just a side note – I have one degree of separation from Marilyn, though I never met her. Grace Lee Whitney, Yeoman Rand from Star Trek and fantastic person and friend of mine, worked with Marilyn on “Some Like It Hot”. I would have loved to meet her – Grace spoke VERY highly of her.

John,
I saw the pics earlier in the week, but not this video with the photographer. Excellent! Interesting that you have one degree separation … and the fact that Grace spoke highly of her is good to know info. Many thanks for sharing.

Hey John,
Not true. Keith is questioning Harry’s choice. Then again, Harry grew up in St. Louis, broadcasted his beloved Cardinals for many years, broadcast games on Chicago’s north and south side. Wow ….a lot going on there … besides being the Mayor of Rush Street.

Keith,
Back in the day, Harry would not have seen Belanger play that much. Besides, he saw Marion play a lot! Plus, since Marion played in the 40s, many of us don’t know that much about him. Thanks for the thought.